::TEAM LIBBY::

what a beautiful picture of grace this season has been.

watching the ryder's depend on the Lord has been amazing.  amazing - doesn't do it justice but i'm terrible with words.  all i know is that watching your friends, who you already knew were incredible, faithful people of God, put their hope to the test is really incredible.  their faith is real & strong & bold.  i love that they know Jesus more today because of cancer that they've endured.  never losing sight of the hope they have in Christ.

watching the body of christ rally around people you love - ridiculous.  the ryders have been loved so well by friends and family and complete strangers.  it is such a powerful testimony to who God is and what the body of Christ looks like when people are committed to doing what He would do / does.  He gives, cares for, provides for & loves lib & ryde & ava extravagantly, and that's what i've seen the body do as well.

seeing the ryders run the race with cancer, seeing our friends run a physical race to support the ryders has been such a blessing to ben & i.  here are some pics i took while in nashville cheering on our friends & getting to see libby.  what a beautiful sight.  i have warriors for friends.  and God is so good.

{i took WAY too many pictures - after party post coming soon}

hebrews 12:1-3

 ¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

dinner with team libby friday before the race

gettin' hyped to go 13.1

after being rained on for 3 weeks.  God gave us this.  the most beautiful day!

ben doing his stretches like the rest of the team.  and no we didn't run.

in the corale and ready to go!

our nashville-native hosts for the weekend {aka my cousin & her boo}. 

andrew, thank you so much for letting us crash your house, keep you up late & for helping so much with all the details.  we appreciate it more than you know!

... and they're off!  i tried to get pics of everyone but it was so hard for me.  action photography may not be my forte...

a couple hubbies supporting their marathon running wives!

team libby paparazzi

:: a new team libby friend running by::

 two more new friends!

 here they come around mile 5.  GET IT!  WOOT WOOT!

::we found new friend cassandra too::

 after the race we met up with all the runners.  they did such an awesome job!  we are so proud of all of you for finishing strong.  you're incredible.  thank you for supporting the ryders. 

we hung out around the end of the race for a long bit to visit and to make sure we found every last team libby-er we could.  it was really fun to spend the weekend with some of our favorite people in the whole world.

 our new raliegh friends.  they are precious. 

it was great to get to know you.  thank you for loving & supporting our friends.

1 corinthians 9:24-25

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 

SUPPORTERS OF TEAM LIBBY / THE RYDERS : we love you.  we are so thankful for you.  you are such a blessing to our friends and can't even describe how much it means to know they are well loved & provided for.

{party post up next}

a spring wreath

we are back -- safe & sound from nashville {or cashville as ben likes to say}.  saying it was amazing is a vast understatment.  i'll be back with more of that about that very soon!  for now i thought i'd just share a little something sweet that greeted us as pulled down our court.  i made this little spring/summer wreath with inspiration from the uber-creative emily from jones design company.  scraps from around the house turned out pretty darling if i do say so myself.  i know that it wouldn't fit everyone's taste but it is just right for us. 

{this wreath doesn't do anything to help my neutral-ness now does it?  what can i say?  i'm beige.}

you, me & a baby makes three {a ridd baby shower} part 2

part 2:  food, games & favors

i know when i'm planning a shower i love all the ideas i can get for a menu of goodies and snacks. i'm rarely ever cook / fix food {other than cereal} so creating a food plan is a little out of my comfort zone.  cory helped me.  she knows what she's doing.  so in case you are challenged like me...you can steal this menu.  it was yummy.

little turkey & ham sandwiches on hawaiian sweet rolls

veggie platter with ranch dip

chips & dip

bagel dip & bagel cubes

fruit & sweet fruit dip

chocolate covered strawberries & pretzels

cake!

the fun games & activities we did you have likely seen at other showers so i won't go into detail, i'll just share pictures, they tell the story.

but first, these were ruffled notes cards that i made for people to be able to share some love, encouragement or pray for rach, r & e, baby parker or the whole fam.  i didn't read peek at what other people wrote but i hope that rach felt well loved reading them.

now for the games:

i was WAY off :(

favors:

jenna made these homemade peppermint patties, tinted blue and dipped in delicious chocolate.  i found little glassine bags from garnish.com and finished them off in bakers twine & yarn.  i had hoped to make an individual tag for each bag with a thank you on it, but time got away from me.

baby parker...COME ON!  we want to meet you!

quickly approaching :: the race

i am so excited right now.  all around me the culmination of long awaited events are on the brink.  this weekend we will be traveling to nashville to cheer on many of our dear friends who are running in honor of libby.  i can't wait to see them run.  what an awesome picture of their devotion to the fight.  not just a fight here on earth but a fight for eternity.  my friends are learning what it means to 'run the race' physically but not only that, learning so much about 'running the race' spiritually as well.  i see jesus in their lives.  and in libby's.  i'm so blessed to have friends like these.

this weekend will be a celebration.  the end of cancer for lib. a joyful cheer for community.  a weekend of rejoicing in God's sovereignty & perfect will. and extra bonus is that we'll get to be with some of our very favorite people from all over the place, va, pa, tn, il & home.  oh i just can't wait.

i need to get packed up and ready.  i won't be lacing up my running shoes, but i may have a megaphone - and a team libby tee.

{little sidenote:  it's not too late to support the ryder's and support the race, see the chip-in on the right side of the screen.  it will be there for one more day!
if you desire to give to them afterward, just contact them or us and we'll get you the info.}

*****

another fantastic event is on its way.  one of my besties, rachel, is about to become a mom!  she and her husband will be excellent parents and i know that the Lord will continue to use that family for mighty things, kingdom work.  i simply cannot wait to meet the little guy!  i hope he likes me and doesn't cry when i hold him.  i also hope that he waits for all his aunts & uncles to come home from nashville before he makes his grand entrance!

*****

ministry is so exciting right now.  God is moving in really big ways and friends that we love and pray and cry over are meeting Jesus.  for real.  isn't that crazy!?  we are so blessed to even get to hear about it, much less be used by the Lord for his purposes. i pray that God would grow these students to be strong, faithful, unwavering people of God.  i pray that his kingdom would advance at lafayette.  there are a lot of dying kids filling that school day in and day out - our team wants LIFE for them so badly.  

camp will be here before you know it.  a week long trip with students where they get to experience the gospel - see it & hear it.  just ministry as a whole right now seems heightened.  i don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me, it just feels like a peak.  not coming to completion, that's not the right word, but that so much of what we plead & hope for we are finally getting to see with our eyes.  and that is really amazing.

 *****

 i'll be back before long.  going to gather my things for a wonderful adventure.

this woman is the anti-me

earlier this week jenny from little green notebook featured this room / closet because she loved the details of the chair. i couldn't even notice the chair because this room / closet is the exact opposite of me.  the colors - it is beautiful & vibrant & looks like spring.  it's so bright & girly & fun.

i don't mean to say that i'm not bright or girly or fun...i hope i'm those things {yikes} but as far as wardrobe is concerned i basically wear nothing but neutrals. and so does my house.  my house = j.crew shorts.  when i think of ben & i, i literally think of khaki & gray.  if you know us you're thinking - me too! and i love neutrals, don't get me wrong, or why would i gravitate toward those colors always?  but i see something like this and think hmm...what if i just had a pinch of that in me?  am i just intimidated by it?  for such a loud person, i have awfully quiet taste.

 



what about you? 

are you a neutral girl like me, plain jane to the core?  

are you this spunky closet? 

or fall somewhere in between the two {if this is you, i have to say...i'm a little envious}?

that's my king!

i enjoy long walks on the beach... { & more }

i really have trouble following through when i want to do something. i think that pretty much encompasses all areas of my life and the blog is no exception. so as i *always* say...better late than never.


on our spring break beach adventure we did get to have a sweet evening on the beach together. it was the only time i was adamant about my camera. i kept saying "i'd really like to go on a photo adventure" but ben didn't understand that i really meant "i want to take a crapton of pictures on an adventure". on the beach with my handsome hubs, sunsetting...i need to practice taking pictures duh! well and uh, & relax & cuddle & things. here are some of my favorites to remember.

ben carrying all our flippie floppies and a blanket to sit on

i think that it is one of benny's life goals to not really smile at me in pictures.  i don't know if we can live this way forever.  he loves to close his eyes too.  well, i guess i like to do that in other people's pictures too so maybe i get it.  two picture-ruining peas in a pod.  <3

me saying "c'mon...just one smile?"  i got a little smirk.  i like that face.

ben wanted to play with the camera too.  i want to know how to take pictures way more than ben, and he always does better than me. 

{are you done yet?}

nope :)

on a cold, rainy day here in kentucky, i'd really love to be back on the warm, sunny beach.

*****

and today is good friday.  i hope that you'll take some time and reflect on what Jesus was going through today {for you & me & for the glory of the King}.  i don't want you to miss out on the glorious news that this weekend brings. 

{READ HERE}

{& watch this}

sunday's comin'!

you, me & a baby makes three {a ridd baby shower} part 1

 part 1:  invites, decor, presents & friends

if you're my real life friend, you likely know that this is rachel.  if you're my blog friend, this is rach.  she is one of my oldest and dearest friends.  not oldest in age but oldest in length friendship. rachel & her hubby very very very much wanted to start a family.  after much prayer, waiting, patience & pruning God have them baby parker.  so as the uber excited besties that we are, her friends had to shower her and baby before he makes his entrance.

i wanted to record all the little details for me & for rach & for little parker to look at someday.  i'll say "parker, look how excited we were for you to come!  we wanted to meet you so badly and wanted to make sure that your family had everything they needed for you.  see!"  {and then he'll think..."my aunts are maniacs"}.

so here goes it...

 {this}

navy cardstock, graph paper, dafont.com & white cardstock

 

{plus a little red thread}

{=}

perfectly imperfect homemade invitations

if you're anything like me you may not be the best seamstress around but you still like to make things.  well here you have it.  i asked ben what he thought and he said "well, i mean...the lines aren't exactly straight."  dang it!  he noticed.  but i think you have to just be ok with that if you're me.  i thought i would like wider stitches but after messing around i thought the shorter stitches were best!  {please don't spam or stalk us, i didn't want to have to edit my pics}.  i hope they got everybody pumped to party!

when you have a big ol' chalkboard in your kitchen it must celebrate too.  it's like the most perfect reusable banner.  sometimes i doodle all over it but this time i just wanted text & to add a little bunting instead.  an old map, thin cardboard & yarn were just right for the job.  i think it's really sweet. it may stay there forever.

i should start off by saying this was a community thrown shower.  i had so much help from all our friends who love rach & baby parker.  friends helped with food, cake, favors and decorating.  each person helped to make everything so special.  i just wanted to highlight a few of my favorite things!  the colors & ideas were all based off of parker's nursey, not identical but tied together.  you can look at his room & other inspirations for the room {HERE}.

cory & i punched out lots of these little guys:

we used maps, graph paper, old manila folders and different colored card stock for circle garland and to scatter around like oversized confetti.  i really love the way it turned out.  {sidenote:  i got a great deal on my large circle punch at hobby lobby when everything from that brand was half off!  score! and i had a gift card!  double score!  i planning on punching everything. :) }

happy flowers in pop bottles and vases around the house.  wrapped in fabric, surrounded in candles, seated on fringed newspaper table runners.  what's really good!?

striped straws.  lets just say that my friends & i have a mild obsession with striped straws.  when our other bestie shan shan got engaged we knew we had to have striped straws but the cheapest i could find were something like $12 for 30 straws from austrailia and that just seemed ridiculous.  immediately after that party i found it {isn't that the way it always happens?}.  i found the deal of the century.  vintage-inspired striped straws for 5 cents a piece.  so what's a girl to do?  well buy 250 of them and hope they last you for every small party that you throw for the rest of your life, of course!

i also wanted to share a few gifts.  sorry that the girl of honor is sitting in front of a tv.  that's the focal point of our living room.  isn't that sad?  but don't look at the tv, image it as dark art.  and instead look at this precious onesie.  it says "i still live with my parents" and i got another that said "hi, i'm new here".  i mean c'mon.  this baby is going to be a doll. {both from target if you need them.

i also made her a version of that daily calendar from a while back.  she thought it would be fun to record all the daily happenings as a new momma & growing babe & i agree!  i bet she'll have some very fun things to jot down in this final month of pregnancy too!  oh the excitement!

and i wasn't going to share other people's gifts because i'm sure that they want to but i couldn't resist.  my friend made this!  please everyone go tell cory to quit her job & craft for a living.  please.

*friends*

i should have taken a shot of all the ladies together.

in reality i didn't take any of the picture from the big day.  i was blessed with a massive headache and was just doing my best to enjoy all the merriment.  cory & jenna took most of what is shown above.  and lets be honest, even if i had taken some, i'd probably still want to steal theirs.

{sigh}

rach said: "just saw this in street scene and thought of you!"

yep, my friends know.

 i need a big honkin' buffet/sideboard/credenza. 

and i need it real bad. 

sadly, this perfectly distressed pup is about $150 too much for the brzinski household.

if you or someone you know is just itching to ditch their large pieces of furniture, please let me know.

i'd happily take them off your hands.

the life & times of jen jen

last weekend...

its more than half-way through this week and i'm desperately trying to recap before i get to friday all over again.  i feel like life is actually flying right past me.  my days and nights are filled, filled, filled.  and my mind is worse than that. God is teaching me so much & i am amazed by Him and his grace everyday.  diving into jesus' life, death & resurrection grips me everyday.  i wish i reflected on easter like this all year.  ministry is exciting & challening all in one.  i've been listening to {THIS SERIES} and the last of the seven talks especially rocked my world.  it's found {HERE}.  those coupled with {THIS SERIES} from our own church, the gospel of luke & challenges with girls have created such a neat season for me & the Lord.

so that's now...back to last weekend.

friday after a long day of work, all i wanted to do was go for a long walk {it was gorgeous all day long}, go grocery shopping and then celebrate my dear friend kaitlin's birthday.

as i drove home around 6p a giant black cloud followed me around new circle road.  it was just like a cartoon.  and the rain began as i pulled onto my street.  no walk for me.  instead, benny & i took a friday night nap.  who are we?  who does this?  after 2 hours {oh my gosh} we got up and went to the grocery.  friday night grocery shopping.  again, who are we?  ben bought about 100 kroger cookies.

then it was party time!  ben and i are now considered "old" compared to this group of friends but we couldn't stay away and not celebrate our sweet kaitlin who was turning 20!  yay. 

and we got to be with our team {minus ang}

yes, em is dressed really nice.  yes, dylan is in a tank top.  yes, ben is being awkward on purpose. yes, i am in a giant raglan tee at a party.  and yes, that is the birthday girl!  i love my team!

one of my favorite things from the night.  ben {not mine} just wanted to fit in.

saturday, i got to do all kinds of things i wanted.  i actually can't remember exactly what happened but i think i liked it.  i know i slept in a little, hung out with the hubs, my friend carly visited, i ran errands & crafted.  i also went to a three-way family birthday party to celebrate my nana, grandma & my little brother nick.  my mom made the yummy-est food and visiting was so nice.  there were little kids everywhere.  i really like that.  then ben & i went to see hanna.  it's a movie, it was strange but entertaining.  source code is next on our list and i've heard good things.

in my spare time i've been crafting and preparing for this upcoming weekend.  we're having a shower for my little rachel who is expecting their very first little man, parker.  i can't wait to celebrate with her & friends. yay! yay! yay! 

i'll be sure to share details with you post shower.  i don't want to spoil all the fun now....duh!

hope your week is good, so good.

and to make your week better...watch this: